Reliability: That’s Why the Civic Si Only has 205 Horsepower

And that 2.0-liter from the Type R would have allegedly made the Si too expensive

When details about the new Civic Si emerged, a lot of people were dumbfounded by the fact that an all-new model would indeed deliver the same horsepower as the outgoing model. Let’s be honest, it leaves a huge gap between the Si and the Type R, even with an increase in torque thanks to that 1.5-liter mill that’s taking over the Civic lineup. It’s easy to scream for more power, but Honda has finally come out about why the Civic Si only delivers 205 horsepower, and it makes sense – to an extent. In an interview with Automotive News, the Senior Product Planner for the Civic, Rob Keough, claims that it was done for reliability reasons.

“You can tune more power into it, but all of that takes away from the durability of the engine. Honda likes to build their engines to last hundreds of thousands of miles, so they’re working on that target,” Said Keough. And, that part makes sense, but what seems to be ruffling feathers is the claim that an Si with a tuned-down 2.0-liter from the Type R would have brought about a base starting price of “closer to $30,000.” Of course, there’s always a possibility than another model will come into play that will offer a good balance between the Si and the Type R, but whether it’ll use that same 1.5-liter or a detuned version of the 2.0-liter Type R engine if it does happen, is still a big mystery. The important thing is that Honda hasn’t ruled it out, so perhaps a $30,000 Si will grace Honda’s showroom floor in the near future.

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Further Thinking

The fact that Honda is focusing more on reliability that pleasing the power fiends is actually good news for most of us

The fact that Honda is focusing more on reliability that pleasing the power fiends is actually good news for most of us, but claiming that the 2.0-liter would raise the price by as much as $5,000 makes me want to call B.S. After all, Ford can make the same jump, from a 1.5-liter to a 2.0-liter for just $1,200. Plenty of competitors out there like the Focus ST and the Subaru WRX all offer upward of 250 horsepower from their four-cylinders, and reliability doesn’t seem to be an issue, so what gives with Honda’s 1.5-liter? I know – it’s like comparing apples to oranges, and at this point, it’s hard to say. But, I’m sure the aftermarket tuner scene will, without a doubt, find out the weak points of the engine. Until then, we’ve just got to stand back and wait.

Honda Civic LX

Honda Civic LX

Honda Civic Si

Honda Civic Type R

Subaru WRX

Ford Focus ST

Engine

2.0-liter In-Line 4-Cylinder

1.5-liter In-Line 4-Cylinder

1.5-liter In-Line 4-Cylinder

2.0-liter turbocharged in-line 4-cylinder

2.0-liter 4-cylinder, horizontally opposed

2.0L EcoBoost® I-4 engine

Horsepower

158 HP @ 6,500 RPM

174 HP @ 6,000 RPM

205 HP @ 5,700 RPM

306 HP @ 6,500 RPM

268 HP @ 5,600 RPM

252 HP @ 5,500 RPM

Torque

138 LB-FT @ 4,200 RPM

162 LB-FT @ 1,700-5,500 RPM

192 LB-FT @ 2,100-5,000 RPM

295 LB-FT @ 7,000 RPM

258 LB-FT @ 2,000-5,200 RPM

270
LB-FT @ 2,500 RPM

Transmission

6-Speed Manual

6-Speed Manual

6-Speed Manual

6-Speed Manual

6-Speed Manual

6-Speed Manual

EPA Mileage Ratings
(City/Highway/Combined)

28/40/32

31/42/35

28/38/32

TBA

20/27/23

22/30/25

Curb weight

2,742 Lbs

2,849 Lbs

2,906 Lbs

TBA

3,272 Lbs

3,223 Lbs

At the end of the day, the Civic Si has always been right around the same $25,000 price point and has offered right around the same amount of power, so it’s really not all that surprising that Honda didn’t try to force the issue and bring more power right out of the gate. And, on top of that, it’s also lighter than it’s predecessor, so it’s naturally a bit faster, which should be enough to keep most people happy. I’ve speculated in the past that the new Si would either be a glorified grocery-getter or a tuners dream, but now that this reliability issue comes up, I’m starting to wonder if anything more than mild tuning might be too much. I’ve personally owned two Accords (1987 and 1992) with over 300,000 miles, and currently own an Acura Legend (with a Honda 3.2-liter from the factory) that currently has around 362,000 miles. None of them have ever had a critical failure whatsoever. So, if Honda cites reliability as the reason behind not going beyond the 205-horsepower mark, I give them a pass. What about you? Let us know what you think in the comments section below.